


Reverb

by sakurachan811



Category: Metal Family (Cartoon)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Mental Instability, Past Child Abuse, Self-Harm, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:02:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26617873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurachan811/pseuds/sakurachan811
Summary: what’s wrong?”Glam stares into his drink blinking heavily.“I’m sorry,” he mumbles. “I’m sorry, that was-He remains quiet as he stares down at the bar.“Shit.” he finally says. “That’s- that’s fucked. You never told me all that. Fuck.”
Relationships: Sebastian Shvagenbagen/Chesnok
Kudos: 10





	Reverb

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during The one where Sebastian has a breakdown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glam age 17

I can't believe you right now."

Glam doesn't respond. He drops his gaze to his feet and Ches sighs and sits down next to him. He puts his hand over Glam's and squeezes gently. A minute passes when Ches gently begins to peel Glam's fingers from around his wrist. This always makes him nervous. Glam's fingers are long and delicate like a pianist's. (He was a pianist, but that was then and this is now.)

Sometimes Chesnok feels like it would only take a moment's inattention to shatter his best friend into small pieces. He tries not to think about that. People think he's naïve because he's laidback, that isn't true."Let me see," He murmurs. He presses Glam's arm back, forcing him to uncurl his body. No matter how horrified he is, Chesnok never says anything. The damage isn't that bad, but it's the worst it's been in a long time.

"I'm sorry," Glam says. He tries to sound annoyed, but Chesnock hears through it. Instead of snapping he smiles gently with sad eyes. "I know you didn't mean to." He pulls Glam's arm so it's palm up and he can see the full damage. There are four new swallow scratches on the inside of his left wrist, and two older ones had reopened. 

"I'm sorry," Glam tells him again quietly. Chesnok surprises him by pulling him into a hug. He buries his nose in Glam's hair.

Chesnok thinks 'Glam what have you done' It's a horrible thing to think about your best friend.

"We should get you cleaned up." Glam methodically cleans his wounds. He hisses when the water hits the reopened cuts, but other than that he's silent. After a few minutes the wound is clean, so they go back to their room without speaking. 

Chesnok hands him a roll of bandages.

"I'll be fine," Glam protests, getting ready to toss it back. Ches rolls his eyes. His best friend is an idiot. "We both know you're not, he replies. 

"Take it"

Glam obeys grudgingly. He climbs into bed and Ches goes in after him, curving against his back. Glam trembles under his touch, his whole body shudders with the weight of all the things he doesn't say. He wants to help him, but he doesn't know what else he can do and he knows that Glam is getting worse.

If asked Ches would say that they slept in the same bed because Glam had nowhere else to sleep. (That's not true, Glam could stay with the other two, he's just selfish.)

He knows the ridges and valleys of his too-sharp bones, the way his body is all angles and taut skin. Glam's ribs thrust out beneath his flesh. Glam is like that; he keeps everyone just out of reach. Even though they were friends bordering on pack long enough, Glam never let Ches see under his clothes.

At first he thought he was just being shy, maybe high society omegas were raised differently? and then he thought it was because he wasn't family. (That's not quite right, they lived in cramped quarters. They slept in the same bed)  
But in the end he realized that something in him violently resisted the revelation of skin. (He knows why now)

He knows his freind is well-intentioned, but sometimes the world feels like too much and Glam can't stand it. He doesn't like noise.

On his bad days, he feels like he's been stripped of his skin, he is all nerves and rawness. It's like walking around with three degree burns all over your body. Or like drowning, trapped under the sea with no way to get to the surface, no way to get a breath.  
Glam has nightmares. He dreams of being stuck at that house. Running down it's long empty halls

Dread is the first thing he feels every morning, the opening of his eyes sends lead into his stomach. It’s heavy and he can’t breathe, pressing like a weight on his chest as blue eyes blink up at the ceiling.   
He has a difficult time getting dressed this morning. His clothes irritate his wounds, yanking at his skin like they were lined with sandpaper. After a while he gives up, throwing himself on the bed. He closes his eyes and tells himself (again) that this is the last time that this is going to happen. He's going to stop now, or at least getting better at hiding it. He hates frightening Ches. 

It's not because he's lived with the fear of violence his entire life. is most certainly not the secret that hangs in the air, words he cannot bear. Glam offers no answers; Ches doesn't ask.If you never ask the question, you never have to feel guilty about the answer.

He doesn't allow himself to remember it most days. Sometimes he even forgets for whole weeks. But then the nightmares come and he remembers what he (didn't) do.He once had to watch a sex scene because Ches was with him. He didn't want to be weird, it was just a movie. Afterwards he went to the bathroom (not crying) and puked until there was nothing left. Maybe that was it. Maybe that was the first time he pushes shoves– that aside. This isn't a problem. He doesn't tell anyone about this. It's not important, really; he'll get better soon enough, and until then why should anyone be worried?

When Glam thinks of his father, he remembers the indents of his claws, sharpened against his shoulder, he can still draw out the marks it left. He thinks of all the time spent alone 

Gustav is a father absent of compassion and Sebastian was a son who’s learned to survive without it. 

"I'm going to go get some air," Glam announces suddenly, getting to his feet. Chesnok's eyes narrow and their gazes lock in a battle of wills. Glam's nostrils flare and for a moment he wonders if he's going to growl.

"I'll go with you," Chesnok says in a kind voice that isn't really kind at all. He smiles showing glinting white fangs. 

Glam's fists clench and he watches Glam's throat tightens to fight down an answer. I should probably go after him," Chesnok says. His weariness is apparent in the slow way he moves. Glancing at him, Ken wonders if he can finally ask the question he's not supposed to ask. Deep breath. he's going to do this, damn it.

"What's wrong with Paganini?" Barbie chimes in at the same time with "What's going on with you two?"  
The words poured out in a rush and it takes a moment for Ches to process his question.  
Chesnok turns away and he stabs at his food.  
"It's fine," Ches tells them. "Glam just has some issues to work out." Then he sighs and stands up.  
"You're a bad liar," Ken whispers. He sighs.

"I know."

Glam doesn't sleep that night. Instead he practices in the guitar until his fingers bleed. Around sunrise he returns to their room where a darkness descends over his eyes. When he wakes up, he's on the floor next to the bed and Ches is shaking him insistently.

Look. Look at what I've done, I'm good at something, don't you see? he can't be a good son, but maybe he can make himself so small that maybe one day, he'll just disappear all together.

Chesnok is worried.

He knows the ridges and valleys of his too-sharp bones, the way his body is all angles and taut skin. Glam's ribs thrust out beneath his flesh.

Glam is like that; he keeps everyone just out of reach. Even though they were friends bordering on pack long enough, Glam never let Ches see under his clothes.

At first he thought he was just being shy, maybe high society omegas were raised differently? and then he thought it was because he wasn't family. (That's not quite right, they lived in cramped quarters. They slept in the same bed)

But in the end he realized that something in him violently resisted the revelation of skin. (He knows why now)

"I know what you're doing in there, you might as well let me in."

Damn.

He unlocks the door anyway. Ches doesn't react to his appearance; he closes the door behind him.

"Leave me alone." 

He doesn't fight him; he mostly just seems tired. "Please," he whispers. "You have to tell me something. I don't understand why this is happening and I can't stand to watch you kill yourself!" He grabs him by the shoulders, shaking him, Glam whimpers.

"Get your hands off of me!" Glam's kind of surprised when he listens. For a moment, they are silent. He furrows his brow.  
"You're going to die," Ches says desperately. His friend shrugs. Who cares? "That's it? What's wrong with you?"

Glam's control slips, and for a moment he sees the devastating horror and grief exploding inside. He blinks and it's gone. It infuriates him, and he wishes he would yell and scream and fight because this silence is awful and it's scaring him.


End file.
